Good advice when travelling to Tenerife and Gran Canaria
11/8/2021: The Canary Islands offer sunshine and beaches during the cold, dark months here in the north, and have become a popular destination for Nordic travellers.
The Canary Islands offer sunshine and beaches during the cold, dark months here in the north, and have become a popular destination for Nordic travellers.
Spain is one of the countries we receive most cases from here at SOS International, and during the winter, we often receive calls from travellers on Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
The Canaries are happy to get tourists back after the long Corona lockdowns. If you are holidaying on the Canaries, we recommend checking whether there are any precautions you ought to take before setting off.
Here are a number of recommendations when travelling to the Canaries, read and take note to ensure a safe (and hopefully relaxing) holiday.
If you become ill on the Canaries
During your journey: Doctor makes a house call to your hotel
SOS International can arrange what we call "house calls", a comfortable and convenient solution if you are ill. A doctor can come to you either at your hotel or apartment.
A house call is easy and convenient for you or your family, and avoids making contact with other patients, for example. We arrange payment, and the doctor will give you a receipt if required.
If your symptoms are not suitable for a house call, it is still imperative that you contact SOS International. We can then ensure that you are referred to suitable treatment right from the start.
Beware of ambulance collection
Always use your common sense when travelling and going to and from medical facilities. Especially if you have to call an ambulance.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the reduced number of travellers has affected the hospitals at popular holiday destinations economically. That means that some medical providers might try to make up for lost income when the tourists return. As an example, by offering ambulances in cases with symptoms where it may not be necessary.
Ambulance collection can easily cost Eur 400-600, even for short distances. You, the patient, can risk ending up with the bill.
Think carefully whether the treatment you get, including ambulance collection, is needed compared to the treatment you can get at home.
Public hospitals on the Canaries
The public hospitals in the big towns on the Canary Islands are good quality.
We always recommend that you call SOS International before contacting a doctor. SOS International has a very large network of doctors, hospitals and healthcare personnel in the locality, whose level of quality we can guarantee.
Contact SOS International if you are ill or injured. Our alarm centre is open 24/7, call +45 7010 5050.